Just Be Friends
by bluepotato
Summary: HIATUS  Full summary inside. SASUSAKU. AU. Sakura suddenly breaks up with Sasuke, leaving him with no explanation as to why. What's the reason behind her suddenly strange behavior? And why is Naruto playing a bigger role than Sasuke in all of this?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto**

**Title:** Just Be Friends  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Pairing:<strong> SasuSaku  
><strong>Summary:<strong> [AU] Naruto has known Sasuke and Sakura long enough to notice their feelings for each other. Thanks to a stupid dare at Naruto's party, they have finally taken their friendship to the next level. But a couple of months later, an unexpected turn happens: Sakura decides it be best if they were just friends with no explanation as to why. What is the reason behind Sakura's suddenly strange behavior? And why is Naruto playing a bigger role than Sasuke in all of this?  
><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> This idea formed in my head after listening to a bunch of songs and playing otome games. Hopefully it'll go well? This will update a lot slower than "These Letters" because I plan on finishing that first. Not to mention the school year is beginning. ):

**Please R&R!**

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><p><strong>Chapter One: Enter Uzumaki Naruto<br>**

**Naruto's P.O.V:**

"Sasuke!" I yelled, kicking the soccer ball towards my childhood friend.

As soon as the ball rolled within his feet's reach, he shot it into the goal effortlessly.

Our teammates roared happily, jumping on us as we won our scrimmage game. I laughed loudly as I watched Sasuke swat them away in annoyance. My gaze then fell onto the bleachers, where Haruno Sakura sat. She only came to our practices two times a week. Normally, outsiders weren't allowed to stay at our practices, but apparently, Sakura was a special case. I could only guess it was because she knew the coach.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely didn't mind having such a cute girl stay and watch us practice. Besides, what made it ten times more entertaining was-

"Sasuke!" The coach called. Sakura shot her head up in their direction.

-seeing her have a huge crush on my best friend, the captain of the soccer team, and future valedictorian, Uchiha Sasuke. I turned around just in time to see Sasuke look the other way and walk over to coach, a light pink tint on his face. I couldn't help but smirk. That idiot had the biggest crush on her ever since the school year started, since he had English with her. And it only worsened when she began watch us practice, yet she was oblivious to it. And he was blind to the fact she liked him as well.

I sighed heavily. Sometimes, I didn't understand why Sasuke was the smartest guy in the entire school if he couldn't even realize her feelings for him.

I jogged towards Sakura, despite the fact the rest of the team was going in the opposite direction.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" I called out happily, waving.

Sakura stared at me, bug-eyed. The two of us barely spoke to each other, since I preferred observing.

"H-hi Naruto-kun," she stammered. "N-nice work there."

Did she have a stuttering problem like the girl in my calculus class, Hinata?

"Aah," I rubbed the back of my neck and turned away sheepishly, looking at the teens clamoring for the locker room. "That was all Sasuke." Out of the corner of my eye, I searched for that flustered reaction.

And I got it.

Her face always turned into some shade of red when Sasuke's name was mentioned.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, you free tonight?"

"Huh?" Her face changed into another three shades of red. "I-uh, yeah, I am."

"I'm having a party for the soccer team, you wanna come?"

"A party for the soccer team?" She cocked her head to the side and the blush began to subside. "What for?"

Man, she was cute when she was confused. Not to mention it makes her stuttering problem disappear. Sasuke is damn lucky to have a girl like Sakura have a crush on him!

"It's just so we can all hang out before the Konoha High goes against Mist High!" I explained. Coach had been slamming us with practice and I knew the team was pretty stressed out. "What do you say?"

"But I'm not part of the team," she looked down.

"Whatcha talking about, Sakura-chan?" I laughed and ruffled her hair as if we were best friends. "If you know the coach and you watch the soccer team practice, hell, I'd say you're part of the team!"

Did that make sense? If it didn't, oh well.

She shot me a glare and swatted my hands away. Was there ever a time when she wasn't cute?

"I don't know where you live." She said.

"How about I give you a lift to my house after I shower and change? You can wait for me at the front entrance of the school, I won't take long!" I suggested, which I was only answered with a dumbfound expression.

'_Either she had never been offered a ride by a guy before or she's calling me stupid in ten different languages for even thinking that she would sit in the same car as me.'_

"If you want, we can stop by your house so you can drop your books off." I lifted my head towards the stack of books by her side. Why wasn't SHE the valedictorian? If it wasn't related to school, Sasuke barely read.

After a couple of seconds, she nodded. "Sure."

I guess she wasn't calling me stupid in ten different languages after all.

"It's settled then!" I put my hands on my hips, grinning. I thought it might have taken a little more persuasion, but whatever. "I'll see ya later, Sakura-chan!" I sprinted away quickly and leapt onto Sasuke's back.

"Dobe Uzumaki! Get off me!" He scowled.

"C'mon Sasuke-chan! Let's hit the showers and get changed for my party! It's going to be one heck of a night!"

"Don't call me that!" Sasuke snarled. I heard that plenty of times before, but I still call him that anyways. "And it's a party with our soccer teammates at YOUR house. How crazy can it get?"

'_If only you knew what I have in store for you, Sasuke-chan!'_


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto**

**Author's Notes:** Thanks for the reviews for the first chapter! C: …I'd rather write ten chapters for a fanfiction than do my summer assignments. *sighs*

**Please R&R!** (For IForgotMyPassword: it means "read and review".)

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: Third Party Misunderstandings<strong>

**Sakura's P.O.V:**

I sat on the staircases to the front entrance of Konoha High, waiting for Naruto-kun to meet me so he could take me home. I began to panic about being alone with him as I fumbled with the hem of my plain long sleeve shirt subconsciously. The only people I really associated myself with are Hyuuga Hinata, Yamanaka Ino, and Kunai Tenten, and they're all girls. Not to mention, I'm not much of a social butterfly. I kicked myself mentally for agreeing to let Naruto-kun take me home.

Suddenly another realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

Naruto was going to bring me to his party after I dropped my stuff off at home and changed.

His party at his house, that was for the soccer team.

The soccer team, that **UCHIHA SASUKE** was on.

**UCHIHA SASUKE**, the guy I had a huge crush on.

I began to hyperventilate as a ton of questions began to stampede through my mind.

'_What am I going to wear? Was I going to be the only girl there? If I was, what would they do! Am I just going to sit in the corner of some room alone like a loser? Would I be able to talk to Sasuke-kun? Would he ignore me? Would his friends say something?'_

I buried my head into my lap.

Was it too late to back out now?

"Hey!" I reluctantly pulled my head out of my lap and up to look at Naruto-kun's happy face. I greeted him with a small nod.

"Are you cold or something? Sorry, I made you wait longer than you should have." His shoulders slumped over. "The guys were hogging the showers."

"Aah, it's alright, Naruto-kun." The questions I once worried about faded as I giggled at the thought of the soccer team fighting to take a shower before going home.

A grin found its way to his lips. "Sakura-chan, you're real cute, you know?" He put his hand on his hips like how he did back in the gym. "And just call me Naruto! It sounds weird with the '-kun' attached. I'm not fond of honorifics."

"Eh? But, you just used '-chan' for my name…"

"That's because girls are a different case! Especially you, Sakura-chan!" Naruto explained, wagging a finger at me. "Anyways, shall we go?"

'_There's really no backing out now…'_

"Y-Yeah," I began to stack my books up onto my lap when Naruto's hand suddenly shot out and grabbed my wrist.

"Let me. I don't want to see a girl carry a huge set of books when a guy can do it for them."

I stared at him, completely stunned by his actions and words. My face grew hot as I realized his face was closer than I was used to. Rumors around the school say that Naruto is an idiot, completely reckless, and that he has no manners, but the Naruto that I was encountering with begged to differ. Even when he wasn't talking to someone, a gentle smile rested on his face.

When I finally got myself out of my thoughts, Naruto's face was no longer so close to mine and his arms were loaded with the ten hardcover books I had checked out from the library.

"To my car!" He declared happily, like a ten-year old on an adventure.

'_You really can never judge a book by its cover…'_ I smiled to myself as I quickened my pace to meet his long strides.

Somehow, on the way to Naruto's car, I felt as if someone was watching us. Before I could look around to check, Naruto announced that we had made it.

I shook my head when the blond turned away to open the passenger side for me.

'_It's probably just my imagination.'_

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><p><strong>Sasuke's P.O.V:<strong>

"Oi, Sasuke," someone called out. I turned around lazily to see Inuzuka Kiba walk over to me. A lot of cars had already left the student parking lot. I found it pretty stupid that they made it in front of the school though. That was where most of the students hung out and an accident could have happened to anyone, since the school was pretty packed with idiots.

"Inuzuka," I lifted my head to greet him, but he seemed to be preoccupied with something behind me. Before I could open my mouth and ask him what was up, he suddenly spoke again.

"Since when did Naruto score with Sakura?"

My eyes practically popped out of my sockets as I heard his words.

**'_WHAT?'_**

I whipped my head around, only to find that dumbass with a stack of books (that I could only guess were hers, since he never reads) in his arms alongside Sakura. The two didn't seem to be chatting with each other, which was a good sign, right? They stopped in front of his car and Naruto set the books on the roof as he pulled out his car keys from his pocket to unlock the passenger side, pretending to be a chauffeur while he was at it. My jaw practically dropped to the ground when Sakura slid in and he handed her the books to rest on her lap. Naruto then made his way around the car to the driver's seat.

I shook angrily, my eyes never leaving sight of his car until it disappeared into the streets. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." I growled. What was that god damn bullshit that I just witnessed?

"Looks like you got competition, eh, Uchiha?" Inuzuka laughed and slapped his hand on my back. "See you at his party. It'll definitely be interesting now!"

But I didn't hear a single word after "competition."

I was already plotting that dobe's death.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto**

**A/N:** Sorry if this chapter isn't the best, I had a little trouble with this chapter and school is hectic. :I But I hope you enjoy anyways!

**Please R&R!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three: The Calm before the Storm.<strong>

**Sakura's POV:**

"Woah, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed as he pulled up in front of my house. "Your house is huge!"

"A-ah… thanks?" My house was honestly nothing compared to the Hyuuga household. Neji was on the soccer team, so I'm sure that Naruto knew it as well.

"Thanks for taking me back, Naruto. I'll be right back."I began to grab my things to flee the car.

"Ah, Sakura-chan! Wait!"

But before he could say any more, I had opened the car door and attempted to get out.

Only to be pulled back by the seatbelt I had forgotten to undo.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto laughed hysterically. "Your seatbelt!"

My face was burning; I could practically see his rearview mirror fogging up.

"Let me get that for you!" He was still chuckling as he reached over and undid my seatbelt.

"T-thanks…" I mumbled, getting out before humiliating myself even further. Quickly, I made my way into my house and closed the door behind me. I sighed in relief as I set the books on a nearby table and slumped down onto the floor.

"How embarrassing…" I muttered, smacking my forehead. How could I have been that stupid to forget my seatbelt?

I shook my head, trying to get the thought out. Thank god it wasn't Sasuke-kun who took me home.

My head snapped up.

The party!

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><p><strong>Sasuke's POV:<strong>

"Pissed off. Pissed off. Pissed off." I growled over and over as I slammed the front door shut.

"Sasuke?" My older brother yawned, sitting up from the couch. "What are you doing here? Didn't you say you were going to Naruto's soccer get-together or something?"

I plopped down beside him. "His name is dobe." I corrected.

"What did he do this time?" Itachi chuckled lightheartedly, lying back down to his previous position.

Itachi always saw through me. It was difficult to hide my problems around him, no matter how hard I tried to play it cool. Of course, today wasn't one of those days, but nonetheless he was still able to find out I was upset. Maybe I was just bad at hiding my feelings. Itachi was without a doubt a lot smarter than I was, but why was he always so damn calm?

I muttered my reasons under my breath and turned my head away stubbornly. Itachi was silent for a second before bursting out into laughter.

"W-what?" I yelled, jumping up from the couch in embarrassment. He was holding onto his stomach and tears were practically falling from his eyes. "What's so funny?"

"Sa-Sasuke, are you… really upset at him… over a girl?" The stupid twenty-one year old said between laughs.

I could feel my face getting even hotter. Damn Itachi! This is why I disliked telling him things!

"S-so!"

My flustered sputtering only contributed to his amusement even more. Before I could stop myself, I lunged towards him in anger. Itachi grabbed my wrist just before my fist connected to his face.

"Calm down, Sasuke. It's not every day I get to hear about your love problems." He smiled. He was completely unnerved by the fact I had attempted to pummel him. I pushed myself away once he released his iron grip on my wrist and turned my back to him.

"By the way, when you said Sakura, did you mean Haruno Sakura? The one that doesn't live too far away?"

My ears perked up at this. "What do you mean 'she doesn't live too far away'?"

"Didn't you know? The Haruno residence is probably…five or six houses down?" Itachi rubbed the back of his neck with his eyes closed. His ponytail swayed to the movements of his hand. "I went over once to deliver something for mom a long time ago. I'm surprised you didn't know."

"I've never seen her here."

"That's because you can drive and she walks her way home."

"Aren't the Haruno's…?" I trailed off and glared at him. "Wait a second, how do you know Sakura walks home?"

His left eye fluttered open to stare back. "I saw her last week and accompanied her."

"I-Itachi! What the hell? You're four years older than us!" I shouted angrily, ready to grab the coffee table and hurl it at him if I heard more crap spew from his mouth.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke," Itachi sighed, wagging his finger at me. "I don't know what your mind is thinking, but let me reassure you that I harbor nothing for Sakura. You were at an away soccer game and I had gone to buy groceries. It was just by chance that I saw her at there as well. I said hello since I'm not a complete stranger to her. The last time she saw me was when she was four, so she didn't recognize me at first, but I reintroduced myself and she remembered. I walked her home because I'm not a type of guy to let a girl walk by herself."

I stood motionless in silence, processing his information. Suddenly, it hit me. I hastily dashed out of the house, ignoring Itachi as he called out after me.

Five or six houses down, that's what Itachi had told me.

As I sprinted down the street, something caught my eye.

That car that suddenly pulled away…

"NAAAARUUUUTOOOOO!" I screamed angrily in the quiet neighborhood.

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><p><strong>Sakura's POV:<strong>

"Hey, is it just me, or did you hear something?" Naruto asked, scratching his head as he drove to his house.

"I think I heard someone yelling your name, but the radio is on so I'm not sure…" I replied, smoothing out my skirt over my lap.

When we reached a red light, Naruto looked over and smiled at me. "You look real pretty Sakura-chan!"

I blushed and grasped the ends of my skirt tightly. "Thanks."

"You know, if you keep being cute, I won't be able to keep my secret until we get to my house…"

"Huh?" I looked at him in bewilderment.

The green light flashed and he stepped on the pedal. "Truth is, Sakura-chan, I've got a plan and I need your help."

"My…help?" I repeated slowly, tensing at what I had just heard.

"Yep!" He grinned as he reached his house. He pulled the key out of the ignition and gave me a penetrating look that sent shivers down my spine. "After all, it's about Sasuke-chan."

My eyes widened at the name of my crush, but I didn't respond. Naruto broke our gaze and grabbed his bag from the back seat.

"By the way…" He smirked at me.

"Don't forget to undo your seatbelt."


End file.
